### 11844 Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 42 / Thursday, March 3, 2011 / Notices

**DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION**

**Federal Aviation Administration**

**Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee; Transport Airplane and**  **Engine Issue Area—Phase 2 of Low Speed Alerting Task** 

**AGENCY :**  Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

**ACTION :**  Notice of new task assignment for the Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee (ARAC).

**SUMMARY :**  The FAA assigned the Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee (ARAC) a new task to identify and develop recommendations on additional requirements for low speed alerting. Phase 1 of the task addresses new standards for transport category airplanes. Phase 2 of the task addresses possible retrofit standards for existing transport category airplanes. This notice is to inform the public that the ARAC working group has completed activity for Phase 1 of the task and will begin activity for Phase 2.

**FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT :**  Joe Jacobsen, Airplane & Flight Crew Interface Branch, ANM–111, Transport Airplane Directorate, Federal Aviation Administration, 1601 Lind Ave, SW., Renton, Washington 98057; telephone (425) 227–2011, facsimile (425) 227– 1149; e-mail joe.jacobsen@faa.gov.

**SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION :** 
Background

The FAA established ARAC to provide advice and recommendations to
the FAA Administrator on the FAA’s rulemaking activities with respect to aviation-related issues. With respect to low speed alerting, the FAA previously revised regulations in the area of flight guidance (autopilot) and performance and handling qualities in icing conditions to improve transport airplane standards for low speed protection (in the case of icing, stall warning standards were enhanced). However, as a result of
several recent loss-of-control accidents and incidents, the FAA has identified a need for additional low speed safeguards, in addition to the regulatory actions that have already been taken.
The committee addressed the Phase 1 task—new part 25 standards under the existing Avionics System Harmonization Working Group within the Transport Airplane and Engine Issues Group. (The FAA published a notice of Phase 1 task assignment in the Federal Register (75 FR 16902) on April 2, 2010.) The committee will also address the Phase 2 task—parts 25/121/ 129 retrofit standards under the existing Avionics Systems Harmonization Working Group within the Transport Airplane and Engine Issues Group.

The Task

ARAC was initially tasked with providing information that will be used to develop standards and guidance material for low speed alerting systems. This information may result in standards that complement existing stall warning requirements. The working group provided a report that addressed several low speed alerting technical questions, relative to new aircraft designs (Phase 1 task—new part 25 standards), and provided the rationale for their responses.

Since the Phase 1 task is complete, ARAC is now tasked with providing information that will be used to develop possible retrofit standards and guidance material for low speed alerting systems. This information may result in standards that complement existing stall warning requirements. The working group will also be expected to provide a report that addresses the following low speed alerting technical questions, relative to existing aircraft designs (Phase 2 task—part 25/121/129 retrofit standards), and provide the rationale for their responses. If the recommendation
for retrofit is the same as for new designs, the working group should state the rationale and not repeat the information previously reported. If there is disagreement within the working group, those items should be documented, including the rationale from each party and the reasons for the disagreement.

• How timely is the airplane in alerting the crew of flight below the intended operating speed?

• How timely relative to stall warning?

• Is alerting instantly recognizable, clear, and unambiguous to the flightcrew?

• How are nuisance alerts
minimized?

• Does the alerting operate under all operating conditions, configurations, and phases of flight, including icing
conditions?

• Does the alerting operate during manual and autoflight?

• After reviewing airworthiness, safety, cost, benefit, and other relevant factors, including recent certification and fleet experience, are there any
additional considerations that should be
taken into account?

• Is coordination necessary with other harmonization working groups (e.g., Human Factors, Flight Test)? (If yes, coordinate and report on that coordination.) • If improvements are needed for low speed alerting in the existing fleet, should the FAA adopt a design approval holder (part 26) requirement to mandate development of design changes, or would an operational rule be sufficient? In responding, the working group
should address the factors set forth in

‘‘FAA Policy Statement: Safety—A Shared Responsibility—New Direction for Addressing Airworthiness Issues for Transport Airplanes’’ (70 FR 40166, July 12, 2005). The ARAC working group should provide information that could lead to standards for low speed alerting that can be satisfied with practical design approaches.

Schedule

The required completion date for
Phase 2 of the task is 15 months after the FAA publishes this notice in the Federal Register

. ARAC Acceptance of Task

ARAC accepted the task and assigned it to the existing Avionics Systems Harmonization Working Group in the Transport Airplane and Engine Issue Area. The working group serves as support to ARAC and assists in the analysis of assigned tasks. ARAC must review and approve the working group’s recommendations. If ARAC accepts the working group’s recommendations, it
will forward them to the FAA.

Working Group Activity

The Avionics Systems Harmonization Working Group must comply with the procedures adopted by ARAC. As part of the procedures, the working group

must:

1. Prepare a work plan on how to complete the task, including the rationale for this plan. Present the plan for consideration to the Transport Airplane and Engine Issues Group following publication of this notice.

2. Give a detailed conceptual presentation of the proposed recommendations prior to proceeding
with the work stated in item 3 below.

3. Draft the appropriate documents and required analyses and/or any other
related materials or documents.

4. Provide a status report at each meeting of the ARAC held to consider Transport Airplane and Engine Issues.

Participation in the Working Group

The Avionics Systems Harmonization Working Group is composed of technical experts having an interest in the assigned task. We recommend the existing working group be expanded to
include individuals involved in current fleet operations so there is appropriate representation for the Phase 2 task. A


### 11845 Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 42 / Thursday, March 3, 2011 / Notices

working group member need not be a representative or a member of the full

committee.

If you have expertise in the subject
matter and wish to become a member of the working group, write to the person listed under the caption **FOR FURTHER**

**INFORMATION CONTACT** expressing that desire. Describe your interest in the task and state the expertise you would bring to the working group. We must receive all requests by March 17, 2011 for the meeting scheduled to start from March 15 to 17, 2011, located at the Cessna Conference Center, 6711 West 31st Street South, Wichita, Kansas 67215. The assistant chair, the assistant executive director, and the working group co-chairs will review the requests and advise you whether or not your request is approved.

If you are chosen for membership on the working group, you must represent your aviation community segment and actively participate in the working group by attending all meetings and providing written comments when requested to do so. You must devote the resources necessary to support the working group in meeting any assigned deadlines. You must keep your management chain and those you may represent advised of working group
activities and decisions to ensure that the proposed technical solutions do not conflict with your sponsoring organization’s position when the subject being negotiated is presented to ARAC for approval. Once the working group has begun deliberations, members will
not be added or substituted without the approval of the assistant chair, the assistant executive director, and the working group co-chairs.

The Secretary of Transportation
determined that the formation and use of the ARAC is necessary and in the public interest in connection with the performance of duties imposed on the FAA by law. Meetings of the ARAC are open to the public. Meetings of the Avionics Systems Harmonization Working Group will not be open to the public, except to the extent individuals with an interest and expertise are selected to participate. The FAA will make no public announcement of working group meetings.

Issued in Washington, DC, on February 28,

2011.
Pamela Hamilton-Powell,
Executive Director, Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee.

[FR Doc. 2011–4761 Filed 3–2–11; 8:45 am]

**BILLING CODE 4910–13–P DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION** 

**Federal Aviation Administration**

**[Docket No. FAA–2011–0146]**

**Notice of Intent To Review Structure of the Aviation Rulemaking Advisory** 
**Committee**

**AGENCY :**  Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

**ACTION :**  Notice and request for public

comment.

**SUMMARY :**  The FAA is considering restructuring the Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee (ARAC). This notice is to inform the public of FAA’s intent and invites the public to provide any ideas or thoughts it may have on
this matter.

**DATES :**  Send your comments on or before April 4, 2011.

**ADDRESSES :**  You may send comments identified by Docket Number FAA– 2011–0146 using any of the following
methods:

• Government-wide rulemaking Web

site: Go to http://www.regulations.gov and follow the instructions for sending your comments electronically.

• Mail: Send comments to the Docket Management Facility; U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., West Building Ground Floor, Room W12–140, Washington, DC

20590.

• Fax: Fax comments to the Docket Management Facility at 202–493–2251.

• Hand Delivery: Bring comments to the Docket Management Facility in Room W12–140 of the West Building Ground Floor at 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, DC, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.

Privacy: We will post all comments we receive, without change, to http:// www.regulations.gov, including any personal information you provide. Using the search function of our docket Web site, anyone can find and read the comments received into any of our dockets, including the name of the individual sending the comment (or signing the comment for an association, business, labor union, etc.). You may review DOT’s complete Privacy Act
Statement in the Federal Register published on April 11, 2000 (65 FR 19477–78).

Docket: To read background documents or comments received, go to http://www.regulations.gov at any time or to the Docket Management Facility in Room W12–140 of the West Building Ground Floor at 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, DC, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.

**SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION :** 
Background

The Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee (ARAC) was established in February 1991 to provide FAA’s Administrator with industry and public input in the form of information, advice,
and recommendations to be considered in the full range of FAA rulemaking
activities. These factors are consistent
with the dictates of the Administrative Procedures Act (APA). The exchange of ideas that occurs through the ARAC process affords the FAA additional opportunities to obtain firsthand information and insight from those parties who are most affected by existing and proposed regulations.

ARAC consists of approximately 55 member organizations selected by the FAA as most representative of the various viewpoints of those impacted by FAA regulations. The organizations provide a membership fairly balanced in terms of points of view of those represented and the functions to be performed by the committee. The committee is composed of organizations representing air carriers, airports, flight attendants, manufacturers, pilots, public interest and advocacy groups, repair stations, and consumer groups. Members serve in a representative capacity. In addition, an Executive Committee (ExCom) was formed to provide overall administrative oversight
for committee activities. The ExCom
consists of the ARAC Chair and Vice Chair, who serve as chairperson and vice chairperson, respectively for ExCom; assistant chairpersons representing aeronautical technical subject areas (presently, air carrier operations, maintenance, occupant safety, general aviation certification and operations, noise, aircraft certification, airport certification, transport airplane and engine, rotorcraft, and training and qualifications) with active projects only in transport airplane and engine, and air carrier operations.

The goal of ARAC is to assemble the strongest expertise possible to address particular issues facing the aviation industry and traveling public. The committee conducts its business in open deliberations in the form of public meetings (working groups are exempted). As an advisory body, ARAC has consistently exercised its independence and freedom to provide
the FAA recommendations that are not influenced or predetermined by the government. Since 1998, ARAC has
submitted more than 110 documented recommendations or products to the